Rainy Day Disguises
by Shin Sankai
Summary: For the SLML Rain Challenge - Misao wants to do a mission but Aoshi wants to do it instead, only one problem for Misao is that its in the Red Light District of Kyoto and Aoshi would be acting as a geisha. AU - Meiji Era.


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Rainy Day Disguises

By: Shin Sankai

A young woman stared at the back of a broad man who sat in the exact same position, on the same balcony, in the same temple for the last three years. He was plainly dressed in a beige yukata, black hair pulled back into a low ponytail and the cool wind blowing pleasantly at his unruly long bangs which covered his closed eyes.

A sigh escaped her lips as she made her way towards the concentrating figure. She knew never to impose on his meditations, but today was a frustrating day for the still fairly new Okashira of the Oniwabanshuu and so, on silent feet, Makimachi Misao, aged 19 headed over to her long time love Shinomori Aoshi, aged 29.

Sitting herself down in front of him Misao waited for Aoshi to finish his meditations. With his level of skills Misao knew that even in his calm and relaxed state, Aoshi automatically knew who was standing at the shoji before Misao could even pull it across. So with legs folded beneath her and always dressed in her onmitsu outfit, Misao waited patiently for Aoshi to come back from wherever he went. It wasn't long before the silence was broken.

"You seem troubled." Aoshi spoke in his usual deep voice, which seemed barely above a whisper in the temple. Misao blinked as she watched Aoshi's eyes peel open behind his bangs and then observed him shift slightly as he rose to his feet, strands of hair falling over his left shoulder as he did so.

"Ne Aoshi-sama, have you ever thought about cutting your hair?" She received nothing but a cool and calm stare from the 6-foot tall man and observed him slowly head further onto the balcony to look over Kyoto. "I guess that answered that." Misao muttered mainly to herself.

"You didn't come to discuss the length of my hair Misao, nor does my answer matter, so tell me what troubles you." Pursing her lips at Aoshi's seemingly cold words Misao got up and stood beside the usually quiet ninja.

"When you were Okashira Aoshi-sama, were making decisions hard on you?" As Misao stared up into a tree where two lovebirds were nesting and chirping at each other, she felt a side glance come from Aoshi.

"Another mission has come up." He stated as a fact instead of a question. Aoshi observed Misao nod her head once and then moved away from the balcony into the temple room so he and Misao could talk privately.

The temple was always a sanctuary, but speaking openly on the balcony was never something Aoshi allowed Misao to do as he helped guide her in becoming the new Okashira. He knew Misao would never give him back the title of Okashira, nor did Aoshi think he deserved it after everything that had happened. Instead he played guardian to Misao once more as he taught her certain ways when dealing with the police and private customers that wished to hire them for their services. It wasn't that the Oniwabanshuu publicly advertised who they were, but word did get around that in the Aoiya there were a select few that knew whom the Oniwabanshuu were. Little did people know, they dined in a restaurant front.

Dropping his thoughts once more Aoshi sat back down in the darkly room and waited patiently for Misao to come inside and close the balcony shoji before sitting in front of him which is exactly what she had done.

"Kyoto Police would like our help again and I didn't agree to the mission until I saw all the details written in a report for me to look over with Jiya and you."

"What did Okina think?"

"Well he actually wanted to go at first, but only because it was in the red light district." Misao watched Aoshi arched his brow, this a sign of intrigue from the brooding ninja/spy. "According to the police certain members of a faction that belongs to a drug lord who is actually still in prison are moving through the red light district and picking women at random to overdose on their drugs."

"Do you have the report with you?"

"No… I was thinking of taking the assignment myself." Icy eyes darted to ocean blue as Misao fidgeted in front of Aoshi once more. His stare was something that always made her shiver in desire, nervousness and in fear.

"So I am to assume the report is back in the office then?" With an affirmative nod from Misao, she watched surprised as Aoshi raised himself from his seated position once more and headed for the door.

"Aoshi-sama…?" Misao muttered in slight confusion as she quickly got up to follow the man out of the temple building and into the sunny afternoon as they headed down the steps and obviously back to the Aoiya.

"I will not allow any mission to occur unless the full details are laid out before me." Aoshi spoke while taking long strides, missing every second or even third step to reach the pebbled pathway more quickly.

"In case you haven't realised Aoshi-sama _I_ am the Okashira." Misao watched Aoshi stop on the stairs, she nearly smacking into his back as she had been jogging down the stairs to try and catch up to his strides. Misao chewed on her lip as Aoshi turned to look down at her, an unreadable emotion flashing through his eyes for a mere second.

"You are correct. I apologise in advance for defying your orders." Misao furrowed her eyebrows as she watched Aoshi continue on his way. There was something troubling him and she wanted to know what. Even though Aoshi knew that if Misao wished to take the mission there was nothing he could do about it, but now it seemed Aoshi knew more then he lead on and with that thought in mind Misao ran to catch up with the silent brooding man once more.

OoOoOoO

As the two of them moved quickly through the backyard of the Aoiya, Aoshi had reached the stairs for the second floor before Misao could even blink. She observed as he strode up them in mere seconds and disappeared down the hallway and was obviously heading for what used to be his own office on silent footsteps.

Misao huffed as she slid the door across, mentally noting that Aoshi needed to be taught a few manners and grumbled obscenities under her breath as she stormed un-spy like towards _her_ office. Once she was there she found Aoshi at the window; head bowed reading over the contents of the report.

"Aoshi-sama, really, I never knew you were so nosy and I never gave you permission to read that information without me present either." Misao stomped childishly as she closed the shoji and encased herself in darkness. All the light was streaming over Aoshi's form as he remained at the open shutters of the window.

"It can't be…" Misao heard Aoshi mutter and with stomach churning she made her way over to the now tense man. His hands were fisted in the report, almost breaking the paperwork in half if it hadn't of been for her warm and smaller hand being placed over one of his larger ones. With breath catching in her throat Misao watched icy green eyes dart to hers before Aoshi jerked away from her touch and sat down in one of the Westernised chairs in the office in front of the desk.

"Aoshi-sama…" Misao quietly spoke his name, her eyes roaming over his tense shoulders as he continuously stared down at the unfolded parchment in his hands, only now they weren't fisted like before.

"I wish to take the mission." Misao had to use the desk as leverage before she fell over at this sudden news from the very serious Aoshi looking up at her from his seated position.

"You want to what?" Misao had to step back slightly as she watched with wide eyes as her Aoshi-sama, the man she'd searched all of Japan for, bow before her in respect.

"Allow me to take this mission, Okashira." Her eyes were wide with shock for not just the bowing part, but Aoshi had never referred to her as 'leader' before.

"What do you know Aoshi-sama? Tell me all you know right now." Misao as usual at certain times of nervousness chewed on her lip once more when Aoshi did not rise from his bowed position. Even though the parchment was no longer in his hands, Misao knew that Aoshi had found some hidden piece of information in the police report that she hadn't figured out as of yet.

"It has to be linked to him. It must be Kanryuu Takeda."

"K-Kanryuu Takeda, you mean…" Misao couldn't finish her sentence as she watched Aoshi jerk his head into a nod even though he was still bowing before her. Quickly kneeling on her own knees Misao placed her hand on Aoshi's shoulder and watched him slowly lift up. Her ocean orbs grew wide at the narrowed slits of his eyes. She could feel the intense fury within his ki and instantly did the first thing that came to mind…she hugged him. "Aoshi-sama…" Misao murmured as he went rigid within her embrace. It was something he always did when she hugged him, but it wouldn't be long before he would "melt". However, it was taking longer then Misao usually thought it did.

"Allow me this mission Okashira." Aoshi darkly voiced once more, his arms twitching at his sides, his "frozen" heart telling himself to hug the petite woman before him while his mind refused as it was plagued with past memories of Kanryuu Takeda and his fallen men.

"This mission is meant for a woman Aoshi-sama."

"You think I cannot do this mission?" Misao sighed as she pushed away from Aoshi's lean form and now looked up into his serious and frowning features. She had to remember that she was dealing with the King of Stubbornness.

"In case you hadn't realised Aoshi-sama, you lack a certain femineity."

"Is that so?"

"Of course you do! Himura puts you to shame in the feminine side." Misao contorted as though Aoshi had lost his mind at wanting to take this mission of dressing in drag to stay in the red light district as a whore or geisha girl to perform reconnaissance. "I mean not that it's a bad thing to have feminine qualities in a man, especially when Himura's married to Kaoru-san who can't cook to save her life."

"You cannot cook either Misao."

"Back to the subject at hand Aoshi-sama!" Misao snapped, as she was quite touchy when it came to her cooking skills as well. She too didn't like the fact that Aoshi could make better miso soup then her, not that any of the others knew of Aoshi having ever cooked before. It was there little secret…among other things too. "Look, I don't doubt your skills Aoshi-sama, its just that, well you'd have to look like a woman Aoshi-sama…and frankly I don't know if I like that idea."

"Afraid I'll look better then you?"

"AOSHI-SAMA!" Misao screeched as the mood had lightened considerably. With a pout on her face Misao watched as Aoshi rose to his feet before his hand went out to help her up. Once she too was standing on her feet Aoshi rolled up the parchment and placed it back into its protective envelope and retied it.

"You need assurance Misao."

"Assurance?" She questioned with slight confusion and with a simple nod of his head Aoshi was at the shoji. "Hey Aoshi-sama where do you think you're going?"

"Out…" Came the stubborn reply and the shoji closed with a quick flick of Aoshi's hand. Misao made her usual 'argh' sound when Aoshi annoyed her and stomped her foot childishly on the ground when she hadn't a clue what he was talking about either. She sighed hopelessly and flopped into the large wooden chair and skimmed over invoices for the restaurant to ease her mind of her stubborn ex-leader.

OoOoOoO

"Misao-chan are you sleeping in there?" Misao snapped awake and away from the desk at the voice of Okon and the knocking coming from the wood of the shoji.

"What is it?"

"We need your help in the restaurant, the evening crowd is getting bigger. The festival in the city is obviously in full bloom now."

"Hai, I'm coming!" Misao voiced and opened the shoji to see a smiling Okon with blue kimono, cream underlay and pink obi in hand. "Oh man, do I have to?" Misao complained as though she were 16 again.

"Yes you do, now come along Misao, we have bachelors waiting for your presence." And with that she laughed while walking away after placing the kimono in Misao's arms. "Ne, Misao-chan, where is Aoshi-san?"

"Out as he so stubbornly voiced to me."

"Are you two love birds fighting again?" With a glare from Misao, Okon left it at that and headed back downstairs to help Omasu who was probably by now being swamped with orders.

OoOoOoO

It wasn't long before Misao was rushing around taking orders with Omasu while Okon brought out the food Shiro and Kuro were cooking. Okina at the moment was catching up on the latest gossip with a bunch of old men and rambling about how pretty his little Misao-chan had gotten over the years and why she hadn't gotten married yet. It of course was very embarrassing and irritating for Misao to listen to without wanting to inflict pain on the old man like she usually did. If the Aoiya was closed and there was no one around, she would have.

As Misao went rushing past, an empty tray in hand to clear off one of the benches she hadn't been paying attention as she tripped on a man's coat and went flailing to the ground, a groan escaping her lips when she hit the floor with a loud thud. Her tray clattered not to far from reach and the entire Aoiya went dead quiet when a hand came into Misao's line of vision.

"Oh thank you so mu-" That was as far as Misao got when she took that hand, a hand she knew very well and looked up into the face of a _very_ different Aoshi-sama. She stood before the love of her life with mouth hanging open and eyes as wide as saucers.

There Shinomori Aoshi, renowned leader, usually a cold hearted and ruthless man wearing a kimono. A woman's kimono to be more precise. Though he was broader then women, it appeared, thanks to some cat calls from customers that Aoshi had just passed his assurance test to Misao. Not only was he in a black kimono (with a high neckline covering his Adam's apple from view) and a bright red obi, but he was also in a pair of geta and balancing quite nicely on them too. Aoshi's below shoulder blade length hair (which was usually hidden from view) was completely down with thin strands casually strewn over his shoulders. His face was whiter then usual and his smouldering green eyes stood out because of the black eye make-up while his lips were a deep plum colour.

"Misao-chan could you please take these drinks to ta…" A loud crash was heard as Okon dropped her tray and pottery sake bottles smashed all over the ground. Customers jumped while Okon stared wide eyed at Misao and Aoshi. All who knew Aoshi would instantly recognise him, but those customers, who didn't, which was everyone here, never even knew behind the kimono and make-up was a very handsome man.

"Okon-san, please clean up your mess." Okina calmly voiced even though he too had to hold down his sake from spewing it from his mouth ever since he saw Aoshi walk in. "Misao-chan…" He called out to his adoptive grand daughter who finally turned from Aoshi to look back at him. "Show our customer her table. You know how rude it is of you to stare like that Misao-chan, now apologise and give her a cup of complimentary _tea_." Misao couldn't help but flush as she straightened out her kimono, bent down to take her fallen tray and quickly showed this "female" a table in the corner.

As Misao went out back to get Aoshi a cup of green tea under Okina's orders, she observed through the open shutters of the kitchen as a drunken man sat across from Aoshi and funnily enough tried to chat him up! As Misao fumed while making the tea at the attention Aoshi received she noticed he simply closed his eyes, did not speak and only turned his head away, this a gesture of disinterest. Obviously for certain reasons there was no way Aoshi could talk. Even if he could pull of this trick there was no way he could ever lower such a deep sultry voice.

Finally with tea poured into a single cup Misao placed it onto a smaller tray and headed back over to Aoshi who was calmly sitting by himself. The drunken guy gave up on him.

"Here's you tea _Miss._ Would you like anything from the menu?" Misao sweetly asked and observed as Aoshi's head turned in her direction, lifted up so their eyes were level and watched with baited breath as Aoshi's lips parted.

"Iie…" And with that Misao promptly fainted.

OoOoOoO

Groaning at the soft pressure against her forehead Misao snapped her eyes open and stared at the kneeling figure before her.

"Are you alright Misao?" Came the deep voice belonging to Aoshi as he dabbed a cool cloth against Misao's forehead.

"Aoshi-sama, what happened?" Misao muttered confusedly as she looked over Aoshi who was now dressed back into his deep purple onmitsu training outfit with white ties and make up completely gone from his handsome face. His hair was also tied back into its customary low ponytail as well.

"You fainted when I spoke."

"Oh yeah…" Misao murmured while rising to sit up in her futon. When she had heard that soft feminine voice come from Aoshi's lips she had instantly hit the floor. The covers fell away from Misao's developed body and she looked down to see that she was only in the cream underlay of her Aoiya kimono. "Aoshi-sama!" Miso screeched as she picked up the blanket of her futon. "I'm practically naked!" Came the complained cry from Misao while her cheeks flushed.

"You forget I have seen you naked already." He coolly replied while picking up the fallen cloth and rinsing it in a basin of water beside him. With that plain statement Aoshi noted Misao's blush had gotten darker.

"That's not fair…" Misao pouted at him, but before she could object to his actions Aoshi arms had swiftly removed his gi from his chest and placed it around her shoulders. Aoshi was now calmly sitting beside Misao in nothing but his pants and white ties.

"Is that better?"

"Ah…yeah…" Misao nearly moaned out before shaking her head and scrunching her eyebrows. "Aoshi-sama, where the hell did you get a kimono to fit you?"

"Out of all the questions that is the one you blurted out first?"

"Don't play funny business with me Aoshi-sama. And how come I never knew you could pull off being a woman so easily?"

"It's not easy, but I have had practice." Aoshi observed Misao's eyebrows rise in wonder at his answer. "I've been a spy and a ninja ever since I can remember. To me a mission was a mission just as long as I completed it to the highest degree that was set to me by my _original_ Okashira."

"So, you've been a woman before is that what you are saying?"

"Aa…"

"You know, telling me these things would help me a lot more in understanding you in this relationship we have."

"What relationship Misao?" Misao darted her eyes back to Aoshi's face since they had lowered to his perfectly sculptured and scared chest, but no words could fly from her mouth in retaliation as lips fell over hers taking her on another ride into a passionate kiss. Misao's hands instantly fisted against Aoshi, one tugging at the tie of his ponytail while the other placed nail bites into his right shoulder.

It ended all too quickly for Misao as Aoshi backed away from her, taking his gi with him as he rose to his bare feet.

"Eh, Aoshi-sama?" Misao sighed in passion as her images of her and Aoshi engaging in _certain_ acts they shouldn't be doing because they weren't married, vanished from her mind.

"Okina is coming to check on you."

"I hate how you can hear better then me." Misao grumbled as she lay back down in her futon and pulled the thick blanket all the way up to her face covering her swollen lips from view. All that came from Aoshi was a quirk of his lips before he calmly turned to the shoji as it was pulled away and Okina stood before the both of them suspiciously looking into the room as though wanting the catch the two of them doing "explicit" things. He had failed once again and couldn't accuse either one of them as nothing was out of place.

"I assume Misao-chan is fine now Aoshi-kun?"

"She will remain in her futon resting for the remainder of the evening. Could you ask Okon or Omasu to bring her some soup?"

"And what of you Aoshi-sama?" Misao muffled from behind her blanket.

"I'll begin my reconnaissance for you as of tonight Misao."

"WHAT? I NEVER SAID…" Misao began with a shout before lowering her voice when Okina gave her a disapproving look. "Aoshi-sama I never authorised you to go on this mission."

"Frankly Misao-chan I don't see what the problem is. Aoshi-kun will not be attacked by any woman smaller then him and no man will try to get into bed with him either because Aoshi-kun wouldn't allow it correct?"

"Of course…" Came the slightly scathing remark.

"I know that but…"

"I'll complete a report for you every evening Misao and will personally deliver it to the Aoiya so you know I am alright."

"Okay but…"

"I'll be safe, there is nothing to be worried about." Aoshi could truly read Misao like an open book. He turned to Okina and slightly bowed to the elderly man. "Try not to let her worry too much." He muttered out and watched the old man smile broadly before patting him lightly on the shoulder.

"Misao-chan will always worry about her Aoshi-sama, this is fact and can never be changed."

"Jiya…" Misao growled lightly before her eyes met Aoshi's as he looked over his shoulder and back down at her.

"Nothing will go wrong. This time the past will rest after this mission is complete." Misao chewed on her lip and nodded her head as she sat up in the futon, the covers still over her thin clothing as she watched Aoshi slide the shoji closed leaving Okina in her quarters with her.

"Jiya, I'm worried about him."

"Misao-chan he hasn't even left the Aoiya yet."

"I know, but it's…"

"A past he cannot let go of until he is ready. I believe this time he will though." Misao tilted her head at Okina's words. "He has changed over the years, he's improved over the years…and that's all thanks to you Misao-chan. Do not worry so much, he will stay safe so you won't have to cry anymore. He does care for you after all."

"J-Jiya…" Misao softly voice while lifting the covers to try and hide her reddened cheeks from Okina's crinkled eyes. She watched him laugh lightly before bending down to place a kiss on her forehead.

"If you become worried, disguise yourself as a man and take protection with you and go to visit him. He'll be staying at 'Heaven'. It happens to be where the latest victim worked."

"How do you know so much?"

"Well…" Okina started as he rubbed at his beard.

"Aoshi-sama and you knew about this mission before I did didn't you?"

"Well we did catch wind of it, yes."

"Argh! That man is _so_ going to get it when I see him next."

"As long as you don't play _too_ rough Misao-chan."

"WHAT? YOU OLD LECH!" Misao screamed and threw a kunai at the old cackling man but watched as he dodged it and it dug straight into the wall. She crossed her arms and fumed as Okina left her room, but gasped in surprise when a certain _someone_ snuck back into her room and placed the cold tip of a tanto against her neck. It was of course illogical for Aoshi to try and stash his kodachi within that kimono and because he was pretending to be a woman, a tanto was the perfect weapon for him.

"Even in thoughts Misao, leave a bit of your senses to figure out when danger is close by." When she eyed him silently, Aoshi was kneeling before her back in his kimono garb and with a satchel bag slung over one shoulder.

"I can't believe you knew all of this already. I hate the two of you for treating me like a fool."

"You are not a fool Misao, but this is something I must do. I did apologise earlier in advance for defying you from the start."

"I'm stupid for not being used to your secretive ways." Aoshi knew that she meant more then just keeping this mission from her.

In fact earlier during the week Aoshi had had an unexpected visit from one Saitou Hajime who was currently in Kyoto with regards to these deaths. Though they had not seen each other since the incident involving Yukishiro Enishi, it so happened that Saitou himself thought this would be a job for the Okashira of the Oniwabanshuu. Of course Saitou was not too happy about hearing that the "weasel girl" was now the Okashira and stated that Aoshi _had_ to do the assignment himself to "settle a score" while smoking his cigarette. When Aoshi read the assignment he understood what Saitou meant and accepted the role of playing a geisha in 'Heaven' and made a deal with the police officer for a reward for his services as well.

"When this is all over and done with Misao, I'll sit down and have a serious talk about our relationship with you alright?" Aoshi watched as Misao's face lit up, those words were obviously something she had been waiting to hear for a long time. Aoshi observed as Misao sat up on her knees, arms hooking around his neck as she smiled prettily at him.

"Kiss me goodbye." She had murmured before initiating the kiss with him and ruining the plum colouring of his perfectly shaped lips.

"Do you not find this weird Misao?" Aoshi questioned against Misao lips before letting go of her not needing to delay the beginnings of his mission any longer.

"Don't worry Aoshi-sama, there will always be certain _parts of you_ that are a constant reminder to me that you Shinomori Aoshi are not and never will be a woman."

"True, but I am good, that you cannot deny."

"Have you been hanging around Jiya too much? This egotistical side of you is very annoying."

"Only because you know I make a good woman." Misao scowled at Aoshi and felt a light kiss being placed against her cheek, both in goodbye and apology before he vanished once more from her sleeping quarters.

Once again Misao was alone in her room and she sunk back into her futon, eyes closing as she played over her life and how it panned out up until now. It started from when she first met a teenage Aoshi, to when she meet Hannya and the others, to when Aoshi left, to when she went after him and then there was much sadness that followed. Two years later after Aoshi had been returned to her and with a lot of hard work, patience and tender care, Misao had finally been rewarded as Aoshi let her inside, if only into his bed.

Misao finally drifted off into a light sleep, worry for what could happen to Aoshi and anxiousness for what would happen when the mission was over.

OoOoOoO

As Misao sat on the back porch of the Aoiya, watching sheets of rain full to the pebbled pathway, ripples moving through the fish pond and all other plant life dripped with excess water. It had been raining for two straight days. At first just like clockwork Aoshi presented Misao with his findings in his immaculate handwriting. That of course had stopped two days ago, just when the rain had hit. It had been two very long gruelling days for Misao to endure as no word from Aoshi had come.

"Misao-chan…" Omasu called out to the dazed young woman as she leaned against one of the posts holding up the Aoiya roofing. She watched blue eyes glance back at her, hope within them waiting on some good news about Aoshi. "Please come inside, it's far too cold for you to be out there in your onmitsu outfit."

"I'm fine…" Misao muttered before shivering as the wind and rain picked up. "Actually, I'm sick of waiting so I'm going to 'Heaven' to look for Aoshi-sama." Misao stood then and strode into the Aoiya and up the stairs. She gave Omasu no time to rebuttal her decision and flew up them at lightning speed and not into her own quarters but straight into Aoshi's. Searching through his draws, which was something Misao had never done before she pulled out one of Aoshi's two identical onmitsu outfits and looked it over. Collecting up her new garb Misao wandered into her own room across the hallway and sat on her tatami mat as she set to work.

OoOoOoO

"I'm ready…" Misao muttered to herself as she looked over at her reflection in the mirror Okon and Omasu had bought for her on her 18th birthday. She was dressed in purple pants, with Aoshi's purple gi over the top and white ties holding them against her hips. Of course Misao felt odd in Aoshi's clothing especially since she was so much smaller then him, but she was thankful that they had his musky scent so perhaps people might think she were "manly" enough. Misao had strapped her braided hair back when she tightly bound her breasts and then placed on a black under shirt of Aoshi's to not have the gi gaping open so much to show everyone her bound breasts. That is when the gi top fell over the black undershirt, Misao hoping she looked a little more manly refined. The sleeves were quite roomy and very huge against her, but Misao knew she _had_ to go find Aoshi. She had been very patient with him over the years, but that would never stop he from worrying about his well being or state of mind. Grabbing Aoshi's kodachi, which seemed twice the size of her, she decided to carry it professionally like Aoshi did and headed downstairs where she met a frowning Okina waiting for her.

"Misao-chan you shouldn't interrupt Aoshi-kun's time there."

"He's on a mission Jiya and under the strict orders that he send reports to me. If I don't hear from him I am to assume he would understand that I _would_ come after him. I am his Okashira and it's my duty to look out for all my ninja's and spies."

"Be careful Misao-chan."

"Don't worry, I can pull off being a teenage boy like no one else." Misao slipped on a pair of black enclosed shoes, much like Aoshi's when he wore his brown ones, but stopped from reaching the side door when Okina's hands rested on her shoulders.

"I didn't mean that. Aoshi-kun could very well be feeling mixed emotions right about now. He has after all identified the drugs as opium. It is now a reminder that opium is what Takani Megumi was forced to make for Kanryuu Takeda while being kept hostage in his mansion in Edo with Aoshi and his men looking over her."

"Jiya, if there is one thing I can handle, its Aoshi-sama's moods. I'm a grown woman now, so don't worry so much. Besides he's going to get a good chewing out if he's done nothing but wine, dine and entertain for the past two days." Misao scowled once more and then opened the umbrella on the porch of the Aoiya.

"I expect you home by morning. If you haven't come Kuro is going to be a customer to seek the two of you out." Misao nodded in acceptance of Okina's words and then stepped into the pouring rain as she walked quietly into the city and towards the red light district. As she held the certain kodachi against her side, Misao walked with an air of coolness about her as she briskly passed other pedestrians whom had been pleasantly shopping in the markets before the rain fell. Of course there were whispers here and there, people never being used to still seeing 'men' with swords since it was supposed to be the peaceful era.

Lightning flashed through the mid afternoon sky as Misao made her way down the district ignoring calls from local whores asking her if she needed a good time. With head bowed and umbrella still over her, Misao made her way to 'Heaven' via the map Aoshi had drawn. She stopped suddenly as a light blue neon sign flashed before her eyes with 'Heaven' written in fanciful English letters.

Taking a deep breath Misao headed inside only to blink several times because of the dark dankness of the entertainment building. Creepy drunk men and women flashing more skin then what was appropriate littered the ground floor of the entertainment place while geisha's played instruments and danced about the small stage. Misao scrunched her nose up at it, debating whether fleeing was a good option to do but couldn't when a short woman bustled her way over and flirtatiously asked what she wanted.

"I'm looking for Aoi-san, I hear she's quite entertaining." Misao voiced in what she hoped was a passable "manly voice". 'Aoi-san' was of course Aoshi's code name he'd given himself while he was here but that left Misao's mind as she observed the short woman huff and roll her eyes at the mention of 'Aoi-san'.

"_Unfortunately_ Aoi-san is busy with someone already. She's been at it with some guy for the past two days now." Misao had to restrain herself from screaming out loud at this news. "We have several other women that could help you _unwind _if you like." Misao warded off a shiver when the woman moved closer, a painted long fingernail caressing the side of her neck.

"I'll come back another day. All I want is Aoi-san." And with that Misao patted herself mentally on the back as she calmly left Heaven instead of knocking the woman out with a kick or two and then fleeing the district.

Stepping back into the rain, with kodachi and umbrella at her side, Misao looked quickly down at the map to notice Aoshi's quarters was on the second floor at the back of Heaven and could be accessed via the alleyway and emergency stairs. Moving swiftly down it on silent feet while jumping all the puddles Misao skidded to a halt as she found the rickety stairs and just to the left of it, within an arms reach was a window with shutters open. Glancing down at the map Misao noted it _had_ to be Aoshi's quarters.

Looking up at the stairs she quickly latched the now folded umbrella into the white tie holding the pants and gi closed before clutching Aoshi's kodachi with one hand and using the other to lift herself up the ladder. She fumed on the inside while climbing this rickety ladder for Aoshi having stated it was stairs when clearly it was just some very old and quite rusty ladder.

With a deep breath Misao latched Aoshi's kodachi sheath around one of the bars of the ladder and leaned away from it trying to get a look into the room. Her eyes grew slightly wide as she saw Aoshi half clothed pacing the floorboards inside the room, his voice nothing but murmurs to her ears. He was obviously talking to someone in the room who knew of him being a man and that Misao didn't like. There was barely any light in there so she couldn't see who it was but she did watch a hand come up out of the darkness and observed Aoshi smack it away and she could have sworn "don't patronise me" had broken from his lips. Misao was after all a little rusty on reading lips these days. She felt a weird ki within the room and gasped in surprise when suddenly a gloved hand grabbed a hold of her left one hanging onto the seal of the window as she was yanked up and into the room, sprawling loudly on the floor.

"OW!" Misao cried out before she sat up, hand rubbing her wrist while her shoulder throbbed slightly from having connected heavily with the floorboards.

"What is the Weasel doing here?" Blinking her blue eyes up and to her right Misao watched the smoking man, dressed in blue glare down at her with golden wolfish eyes.

"S-Saitou Hajime." Misao muttered out in surprise before her eyes flickered over at Aoshi who looked displeased to see her as well.

"So you were the one to originally ask for Aoshi-sama's help."

"Sill calling him 'sama' when I hear you are the alleged Okashira these days." Misao fumed on the floor at his words before picking herself up to place Aoshi's kodachi against the wall and brush wet strands of hair from her face. "Are you really trying to be like Shinomori?" Saitou bemusedly questioned as he noted Misao's outfit was of course Aoshi's.

"I've not had a report from my spy for two days. As Okashira of the Oniwabanshuu it is my duty to do reconnaissance work to find out what is the matter with a member and figure out why they have sent no word to me as of late." Misao puffed out her chest slightly as she eyeballed Saitou while Aoshi remained quiet and looked over the both of them.

"Well if the Weasel must know, I'm his client so no one will bother us." Misao gawked at this news, almost spluttering while Saitou ditched his cigarette butt out the window and into the rain. "Shinomori here works for me around the clock. We don't need distractions while he carries out his investigations."

"So where do you sleep?" Misao couldn't help but ask as she looked at the one futon on the ground right where Aoshi was standing.

"In here, in the same futon Weasel, what's it to you?" Saitou replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"That's enough Saitou." Came the sultry voice from Aoshi, as he wasn't too pleased with Saitou having caged Misao against the wall and looking evilly down at the fidgeting young woman. Funnily enough, to Misao's observation, Saitou backed away from her and went to the window as he lit another cigarette and puffed out his smoke there. Sighing happily at not having the wolf near her, Misao made her way towards Aoshi with fisted hands as though ready to punch him one. However, once she stood before him, looking into his green eyes her forehead connected with his bare chest instead.

"You bastard…" Misao mumbled there as her shoulders shook slightly.

"Aww, how touching…" Saitou voiced in a sickeningly sweet way.

"Leave us be Saitou." Aoshi darkly voiced and with the cigarette being flicked out the window once more Saitou strolled towards the shoji, unlocked it before sliding it across and leaving his "geisha girl" in the hands of the Weasel. The room fell silent as Misao rested against Aoshi's chest while Aoshi placed a bare arm around her shoulders.

"Saitou has me working day and night Misao. I apologise for not getting word to you within regards to him helping me out."

"You liar…" Misao voiced as she pulled away from Aoshi. "He's not helping you, you're helping him. I know you knew about this mission before I did because Saitou saw you first correct? The wolf thought it was ridiculous that I am the Okashira right?"

"I don't mean to leave you out of this Misao, its just, this mission is…"

"Another chance for you to get revenge right?" Misao snapped harshly yet her voice was lowered so no one within the upstairs rooms could hear the both of them arguing. At the slight frown on Aoshi's lips Misao knew she shouldn't have said that. "I'm sorry, that's not exactly the way I wanted to put it."

"I have to see Kanryuu Takeda once more or else I cannot move on. If I complete this mission, Saitou will take me to where he is being held." Misao's blue orbs widened at this news.

"And then what?"

"And then hopefully it should all be over."

"And if it's not?"

"It will be."

"Oh sure, because nothing that has occurred over the last three years as helped you at all!" Misao growled out as she slapped Aoshi's outstretched hand away.

"You have helped." Came the quiet reply from a surprised Aoshi at having his hand slapped away from the one person who had stuck by him through everything so far.

"Oh yeah? In what way besides physically have I ever helped you Aoshi-sama?" With narrowed eyes and blood boiling she watched Aoshi's lips part, trying to come up with a reason but nothing fell from his lips. Misao felt a bitter laugh escape her own lips as he bent her head. "You never wanted anything from me but sex, right Aoshi-sama?" Misao jerked slightly when she was engulfed in a warm embrace.

"That isn't true and you know it. Don't twist my ways or my personality around to try and find a way for me to hurt you Misao. You of all people know that I would never hurt you _again_." Misao dropped her angered aura as her hands went up to hug Aoshi around the waist. After a long moment of silence Misao finally pulled away to gaze up at Aoshi to see his drawn look.

"You look terrible!" She voiced in surprise, one hand cupping his cheek.

"So sorry to break up the mushie moment, but Shinomori has work to do." Saitou voiced having walked back into the room and clicking the lock down on the shoji once more.

"That order is refused." Misao stubbornly and angrily commented to Saitou. She observed as Saitou raised his eyebrow at her words.

"Misao…" She glared up at Aoshi, they having broken off their little embrace earlier as she accursedly pointed over at him as well.

"You will do as this Okashira orders of you Aoshi-sama. You are to rest and you Saitou I am ordering you to leave these quarters and not return till sunrise."

"Are you serious Weasel? This matter is of no concern to you, now leave us be."

"I refuse." Misao stood her ground, eyes glaring at Saitou while observing his golden ones flash in the dimness of the room. "Aoshi-sama will burn himself out if he doesn't get rest. You've worked him for two days straight. He's only human you damned bastard and skills dwindle if one doesn't rest. If you need more reconnaissance then I shall take over while he rests, but I won't allow him to do anymore work for you till tomorrow morning." Misao's eyebrows scrunched together when Saitou's gloved hand lifted up her chin to give her a scrutinising look.

"You aren't womanly enough or professional enough to do this job." Misao's heartbeat quickened as the gloved hand was pried instantly away from her chin by another hand as Saitou was pushed against the wall and the smaller kodachi of Aoshi's weapons was now resting against his neck.

"You will show us respect or this mission will be cancelled." Golden eyes did not for one-second break from feral icy green, as Aoshi was not a happy ninja at all. A smirk graced Saitou's lips at the cold blade against his neck by the livid ex-Okashira of the Oniwabanshuu.

"Can you really cancel this mission with the deal we made?"

"Probably not, but touch my woman again and I will kill you." The quarters fell dead quiet at those scathing words before Aoshi pulled away from Saitou and stabbed the kodachi tip into the wall right next to Saitou's neck and left shoulder area.

"Ho, so you and the Weasel are doing the dirty. My, this is interesting news indeed. No wonder you wouldn't allow her to do the mission for if any man were to touch what you've claimed as yours will definitely be inflicted with pain so unimaginable that it would only come from when you turned to the dark side and involved yourself with Shishio Makoto." Misao jumped as a tanto lodged into the wall on the other side of Saitou's neck. The police officer and Captain of the 3rd Squad in the Shinsengumi did not blink at all.

"You will leave us be Saitou and tell Madame Tsuji that you don't want me to be disturbed by any man whatsoever or else there will be repercussions." Aoshi and Misao listened to Saitou snort before he left the quarters with his hat.

Misao's heart still beat quickly within her chest at how scary Aoshi could be even though that wasn't his full potential at being evil. She observed Aoshi lock the shoji after Saitou had left them alone once more and this time Misao hoped he wasn't returning until sunrise. If the bastard cop knew what was good for him, he'd take Aoshi's warnings.

"Aoshi-sama…" Misao voiced having gotten Aoshi's attention as he turned to stare at her, still bare chested which made butterflies flutter nervously within Misao's stomach.

"What is it?"

"Um, do you realise you are still wearing make-up?" Of course that hadn't been what Misao wanted to say. In fact she wanted to run over, latch onto Aoshi for what he said about her being his woman and kiss him till he was breathless. However, perhaps this comment would lighten the mood a little. She watched Aoshi's fingers scrape down his face to have white powder smudged onto his middle and index finger.

"I'll wash it off, stay here." Misao watched as Aoshi slid across another shoji within the room to see he had his own private bathroom and she quickly stood up, rushed over to him and clutched his hand. Green orbs blinked down at her wanting to know what the matter was.

"Sit on the futon Aoshi-sama, I'll grab the basin, some cloths and water for you." Not being able to say no to Misao, Aoshi headed back towards the futon and sat down on it. It didn't take long for her to sit on the floorboards at the head of the futon. Gesturing quietly for Aoshi to lay down, head resting on her thighs, Misao dampened one of the cloths and started at Aoshi's forehead removing the white powder, black eye make-up and faded plum colouring from his lips.

"I'm tired…" Misao heard Aoshi mumble, his eyes closed off to her. She didn't really know what that 'tired' meant and hoped it wasn't with life in general. "Misao…?" Came Aoshi's murmur of her name as though her looking after him was sending him into a light slumber that he was craving.

"What s it Aoshi-sama?"

"Thank you…"

"For what Aoshi-sama?" Misao whispered back but Aoshi's deep breathing was the only answer her ears received. The stubborn man would only full into a deep slumber if he knew there was nothing to fear and it so happened he didn't fear a thing in the red light district because Misao was with him.

Misao shook her head and continued to clean his face, the last of the cloths being used to pat his handsome features dry. After that was done Misao continued to allow Aoshi to use her as a pillow while she stared out the window, rain calmly falling from the heavens above.

OoOoOoO

A creak from a floorboard made Aoshi twitch within the futon but it seemed his senses were not sending alarm bells to his brain because it was only Misao who shifted on the hard floor as she lay on her side and looked over at him. He'd shifted from her lap ages ago and so she had gotten up to light some of the candles and lanterns before positioning herself back on the floorboards to stare over at Aoshi's slumbering features. Her right hand held up her head to glance over at him better while her left was currently playing with his long bangs as she shifted them away from his closed eyes. She played with a few longer strands that had come loose from his tie and murmured her thoughts aloud.

"I think short hair would suit you Aoshi-sama."

"Is that so?" Aoshi mumbled back, eyes still closed as Misao's delicate fingers brushed over his lips.

"Yeah, and don't even get me started on how a smile would look on you either." Aoshi opened his eyes, blinking them several times as he sat up and stretched, his neck cracking while he did so.

"What is the time?" Aoshi asked and watched Misao get up on her feet to shrug at his question.

"It's probably early morning by now. I really should be going or else Jiya will send out for reinforcements if I'm not back by the time he gets up." Misao gasped lightly as Aoshi's arms wound around her body and pulled her back towards his firm chest.

"Stay with me longer…and this time I won't full asleep on you."

"Oh? What do you have in mind?" Misao was answered with lips falling onto hers.

OoOoOoO

Misao lay half over Aoshi, head resting against his chest as she listened to his calmly beating heartbeat while his fingers caressed the line of her spine.

"Ne Aoshi?" A soft "hmm" was all her answer that Aoshi would supposedly listen to what she had to say to him.

"Sunrise is coming, I should leave soon."

"I should go see Ayano-san and get her to confide in me about describing who was the man she saw when her and Keiko-san were attacked and when Keiko-san overdosed on the opium. I'll have to bring Saitou with me so Ayano-san knows she will be protected unless he has another plan."

"Just be safe Aoshi." Misao softly voiced as she sat up, loose hair falling over her shoulders and tickling Aoshi's bare chest. Aoshi sat up too, blanket falling away from the both of them as he leaned in close and kissed Misao's addictive lips.

"As touching as your scene is, its time for business." A muffled reply from the locked shoji interrupted the two of them as Misao froze against Aoshi's chest while Aoshi himself turned his head to look over at the rice paper were the shadow of Saitou stood. Narrowing his eyes at the intrusion Aoshi sighed knowing this was typical of Saitou and picked up Misao's clothing and pointed silently for her to change in the private bathroom while he strode to the shoji butt naked.

Within the bathroom as Misao clumsily got dressed and braided her hair she listened to Saitou question Aoshi on what needed to go down today. Her ears pricked up when Saitou had hoped that his cover wasn't blown if other residents in Heaven got wind of hearing another woman moan within his quarters.

"What goes on is not your concern and fear not even if there was noise people would assume you have chosen to bed another woman and also to supposedly watch them together." Misao's cheeks reddened at those comments coming from Aoshi as she moved out of the bathroom. She desperately tried not to look at Saitou and instead stood stock still and gapped at the man she'd just slept with again lying in the futon, one arm holding up his head while part of his kimono was showing his right shoulder and collarbone area. Quick make-up had been placed back on his face while his hair was loosely and messily placed up into a high ponytail with several strands falling down his face and shoulders and his lips were in a small smirk making him look quite desirable.

"Err…Aoshi?"

"Leave us be Weasel, a man who could be a potential as one of the opium dealers is coming to visit me in here with _my_ woman." Misao blanched at the comment as Saitou pulled his hat and coat from his body and threw them onto a small table in one of the dark corners of the room. "While he's in here _Aoi-san_ will leave to get that Ayano woman to identify if this is the man that attacked her and Keiko and placed Keiko into the clinic with an overdose on opium. If it is, well lets just say a little game of torture will be used to pry out more information for us. If that is the case and they give the name I'm looking for, Shinomori here can freely see Kanryuu Takeda and then either snap or go back to the Aoiya and stay with you." Misao chewed on her bottom lip at this news and then glanced down at Aoshi who was funnily enough showing a bit of leg as well.

"He'll come home no matter what." Misao fisted her hands after saying that as she picked up Aoshi's kodachi, not wishing to leave it there and climbed out the window. Just before she could jump to the ladder Saitou's voice made her turn to glare at him.

"What makes you think Shinomori will come 'home' as you put it?"

"Home is where the ones who love you are and that for Aoshi is back at the Aoiya and we will wait for him. Even someone as bastardly as you Saitou Hajime knows exactly where there home is because the woman that loves you is right there waiting." The ladder creaked and groaned as Misao made her way down to level ground, proud of herself for finally getting in the last word with mibu's wolf.

"Ho, you should be pleased Shinomori, the Weasel has grown up."

"She grew up long ago." The room fell silent before there was a knock on the shoji and Saitou opened it up to see three men dressed in the same haori and hakama (all with the same crest on it) too. Saitou allowed them in and then ordered Aoshi to get them sake which of course like the good "geisha" he was he did just that, only this time bypassing where a frightened Ayano stayed to bring her with him.

OoOoOoO

Screams from a darkened and very abandoned warehouse echoed throughout the large area as three men were being tortured for information. Saitou calmly smoked his cigarettes while old acquaintances inflicted pain on the screaming men.

Earlier in the day, Aoshi had swiftly moved to the ground floor, bypassing Madame Tsuji to rush for Ayano's room and with great care asked her to come with him/her. They prepared sake together and headed back upstairs, Aoshi's killer act making Ayano confide in him. When the shoji slid across Ayano had screamed at seeing the men inside, especially the main one smoking with Saitou. Within a blink of an eye Saitou had smacked unconscious the three men in the room while Aoshi took out Ayano with a smack to the back of her head with his hand and caught her before she fell to the ground. Heaven had been raided, Ayano being placed into custody and the three drug dealers transported to the very warehouse where Saitou sat in a chair and Aoshi leaned against a pillar back in his Westernised purple outfit and trench coat.

Only one name had broken from the sobbing and bloody lips of the three men hanging upside down by their ankles: Kanryuu Takeda.

Aoshi's hands fisted at the name and Saitou waved for an acquaintance to cut them down as they fell heavily to the debris below and into unconsciousness due to the large loss of blood.

"Are you ready?" Saitou questioned the frowning Aoshi and watched him silently nod his head. On quiet feet he led the way out the back of the warehouse and towards a horse drawn carriage. "You'll forgive me if I close the shutters and curtains so you won't know exactly where we are headed. Don't want to one day hear the sudden news that Kanryuu Takeda has been murdered now do I?" Aoshi did nothing but fold his arms and glare at the police officer.

"I would not be so foolish to commit murder so ruthlessly nowadays and wouldn't allow you the satisfaction of arresting me."

"I'm sure if you did kill him and escaped with your little woman, the government would never be able to find you."

"A life on the run is not suited for myself or my new Okashira."

"Tell me Shinomori is she really just your Okashira, a fuck or a woman you could love?"

"Whether Misao is either one of those or all of those is nothing to do with you Saitou."

"Ah, you didn't answer my question Shinomori. Do you think the Weasel could actually love a cold blooded murderer?"

"Doesn't your wife do exactly that?" The carriage fell silent at that and the remainder of the ride to Kanryuu Takeda's hidden location was nothing but conflicted auras between the two men.

OoOoOoO

The carriage came to a halt and a policeman opened up the door of the carriage as Saitou hopped out first. Aoshi did the same and gazed about the area trying to find his bearings. The walls were incredibly high so he couldn't see out and instead he walked behind Saitou as they headed into a dungeon like chamber and down a stone hallway lit only by lanterns.

"Kanryuu Takeda, a pleasant visitor has come to greet you." Saitou voiced before jerking his head to tell Aoshi to walk towards him and look into the cell. Aoshi slowly did that, his eyes coming in contact with a shrivelled looking Kanryuu Takeda who was nothing but skin and bones. His clothing was ripped and ragged and the stench that came from the cell almost made Aoshi want to vomit. He stood before the drug lord as he practically climbed the walls seeing him alive and well.

"You were supposed to die!" Came the crazy cry from Kanryuu as he roamed his cell, pointed and yelled obscenities at Aoshi while the ex-Okashira that had worked for the man in Edo looked on. "You were meant to die with those pathetic bastards who thought they could protect me." Kanryuu scathingly and insanely voiced as he stood with his bony hands clenching the bars as he spat at Aoshi. "Useless they were! They are better off dead then alive!" He yelled once more and for just a moment Aoshi snapped as he laid a kendo kick to Kanryuu's hand, pleasantly listening to all his fingers crack under the strength of that one attack.

Saitou's hand raised up to ward off a guard who was about to slash Aoshi over the back with his drawn sword. Aoshi listened to Kanryuu scream like a girl and observed as he crumbled to the stone cold flooring as he cradled his busted hand within his other one. Dropping to his knees, hand instantly moving through the space of the bars to clench Kanryuu's neck in his firm grip Aoshi watched Kanryuu scratch pathetically at his hand as his air was blocked off. Aoshi's eyes blazed crazily before he snapped from the madness when an image of Misao flashed through his mind. He let go instantly, watching Kanryuu choke and suck in some much-needed oxygen.

"I'll never be like you." Aoshi darkly whispered to the ruined drug lord before getting to his feet and leaving down the hallway from where he and Saitou had com from, trench coat billowing out behind him while his mind finally cleared of all that was Kanryuu Takeda. Without looking back Aoshi got into the carriage and closed the door. With arms folded, eyes closed and a soft smile gracing his lips, the carriage moved thanks to the motion of the horses as he was taken back to Kyoto, back to the Aoiya and back to Misao.

However, there was one thing Aoshi needed to do before seeing Misao once more.

OoOoOoO

Aoshi stepped out of the carriage, nodding his thanks to the police officer before watching it disappear down the muddy dirt road. It had begun raining just as Aoshi had left a shop. Now though, his eyes roamed back to the front of the Aoiya where several customers were just leaving and he calmly walked towards the restaurant entrance with a bag in hand and umbrella over his head. Moving through the entrance, folding his umbrella up, all conversations stopped. At this, Aoshi watched Misao turn around to greet him thinking he was a new customer, but instead he observed, as her eyes grew wide and her mouth parted into a bright smile.

Forgetting or not even caring where she was, Misao ran over to Aoshi in her lavender kimono with white sakura decorated on it and jumped into the tall man's arms, tears springing at the corner of her eyes when she felt his arms move around her as well.

"I love your short hair Aoshi." Misao mumbled before being placed back on her feet to look him up and down. He was handsomely dressed in a western black suit with white shirt and gloves while his trench coat hung over his right forearm. Misao couldn't help but flick her fingers against Aoshi's neck as short strands of hair had replaced his ponytail look.

"Misao-chan?" Aoshi and Misao turned to look at Okina who had stood up to look at the both of them making a scene in the Aoiya. Misao couldn't help but blush lightly before facing her adoptive grandfather and all the curious customers.

"Well Jiya, I think you wanting to see me get married will happen pretty soon, don't you think Aoshi?" Misao glanced up at the tall man beside her and felt her heart warm when his larger hand gripped one of her smaller ones firmly.

"Aa…" He positively replied and Misao's smile grew for the both of them since Aoshi still didn't know how to smile properly. She would change that soon enough.

"When did this happen?" Okina questioned as he eyed the two of them suspiciously.

"Over rain…" Aoshi remarked seriously, which Misao had to suppress a giggle from escaping her lips. It was true, there union had come together over rain, but that rain had been over a year ago when Aoshi came to her. Okina thought it was over the rain a couple of days ago, but it didn't matter to Misao because she was glad the old man didn't know everything and instead no other news was necessary since Okina, Omasu, Okon, Shiro and Kuro and all the customers went into celebration mode.

Aoshi and Misao snuck away to be alone just when the clouds broke apart and the suns rays went beaming down upon Kyoto dousing the place in fine warm light.

Amongst the clouds that were moving away, four particular shadows of men smiled and then disappeared as though they hadn't been there.

****

Oo The End oO


End file.
